ON THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5759, 3 May 1880, Page 5

ON THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

ROAD-MAKING OPERATIONS AND THEIR COST. [from our special correspondent.] Camp, Werekino, April 27. This letter will, in all probability, be the last that I shall despatch to you from our present camp at Werekino, and also possibly—for reasons to be explained—one of the last from the Waimate Plains. You will, this morning (Taesday, April 27), havo published my telegram of yesterday announcinS that the Government purpose making a new departure in its plan of operations on the plains, and that in a direction I ventured to suggest some time ago. As your readers are fully aware two large bodies of Armed Constabulary, assisted latterly by men of the Pnblic Works Contingent, have been making a road simultaneously from either end of the district towards Parihaka —the work which Te Whiti persists in saying will never meet. In order d : stinctly to understand the nature of the change in operations, if not really in policy, about to be initiated, it will be necessary to recapitulate a little. Oa January 26, Colonel Roberts crossed the Waingongoro river, the southern limit of the disputed territory, and immediately commenced widening and otherwise improving the road which already existed -for a distance of about two mile 3 beyond Opunake, i.e., about 32 miles northward from the Waingongoro. Colonel Roberts is now encamped near Oeo, twenty-three mile 3 from Waingongoro and seven from Opunake. On March 8, Major Tuke crossed Stoney River in force, and pitched his camp at Werekino, about two miles south of the Stoney. The first work done was the improving of the road between the new camp and Stoney River, and a'so to a point about; 500 yards south of the camp. At this point the construction of an entirely new road wa3 commenced, striking off from the old road at an angle that would take it ia nearly a straight line to Opunake and within a very short distance of Parihaka. In the course of time Colonel Roberts's party and Major Tuke's party would have met, and the road would have been completed. Between Opunake and the point at which Major Tuke turned off from the old road is a distance of about twenty-five miles, the old track skirting the beacb the whole distance, save where for miles at a stretch the beach itself must at ebb tide be taken by the traveller. Maoris, when asked why they did hot make a more direct and much -shorter track further inland, always replied that there were impassable swamps, a fact of which | the Constabulary are. now receiving very convincing demonstration. The entirely new road—i.e., from the turn-off two miles sopth of the Stoney—has been carried towards Parihaka a distance of two miles. I shall have something to say of the admirable manner in which the work has been done ; but, in the meantime, it will suffice for my purpose to explain that in the course of these two miles are four streams, two of which have yet to be spanned by large culverts, and two by bridges ; and that at the point reached (400 or 500 feet from the north bauk of the Waiwcrauui) a swamp has baen encountered across which it will be all bat impracticable to carry a load during the approaching wet season. Of course, it will at once be understood, that it is absolutely necessary to move camp after camp as the work advances. The men have to march two miles to and from their work, carrying rifles, ammunition, tools, and rations. If I have succeeded in explaining the position of affairs at this end of the district, the reader will have no difficulty in seeing that the trouble staring the Government in the face is this— it is impossible, owing to the absence of culverts and bridges, to move Major Tuke's camp forward along the newly made road ; and if that new road is to be carried on in the direction taken, over swamps and all other obstacles, in the same highly elaborate manner in which it has been commenced, months, if not years, must elapse before it is completed—in Te Whiti's words before " the roads meet." It must be borne in mind that, with all the advantage of magnificent weather [only two half-days on which roadmaking could not be carried on], it has taken 320 men fifty days to form two miles of new road across country which, compared with what lies ahead, is plain sailing. One not unfriendly critic has estimated that at the present rate of progress five years and seven months must elapse before the road is completed. At a cost of something not far short of £600 per day (or, if the foregoing estimate of time be correct, about £1,220,000), will the country stand it 1 Will it stand it at a half or a quarter of that sum ? I shall further on state at length on what I base my estimato of £600 per day.

This road across the Waimate Plains must be regarded in two aspects by the Govern, rnent, on each o£ which it must expect, during the coming session of Parliament, to be placed on the defensive—viz., the political aspect and the practical one. The political aspect is that involving the testing of Te Whiti's power and intentions, and the strength of his mana (influence.) The practical aspect is the opening np to settlement and cultivation of a certain extent of country by the construction of roada at a reasonable cost. Now, what ia the position in which the Government finds itself ? It has made a new road for a distanca of two mites, along which it cannot, for reasons previously stated, move its own troops, and which, therefore, for strategical purposes, is so far absolutely useless ; and the coat is so enormous that it cannot possibly expect Parliament to sanction its continuance. Sometime ago I painted out that when we advanced from Werekiao it would be necessary to follow the old beach track to the mouth of the Werekino, and then turn inland through the fern and bush to a point in a line with the new road now in process of construction. This forenoon Major Tuke has ridden out to discover the most convenient native track by which to carry out this magnificent strategical movement! I much under-estimate the aßtutenees of Te Whiti if be does not seize upon this blunder —for blunder it has been— to say to his followers, " See, I told you the roads would never meet; they have abandoned the one already." TE WHITI'S MANA. I am desirous of avoiding, as far as possible, any expression of opinion that might be considered as savouring of editorial criticism upon the policy and action of the Government; but, at the same time, am bound—if only in common justice to the Hon. the Minister for Defence and Native Affairs, and to the Constabulary—to enter upon something in the nature of comment. The Armed Constabulary may at once be dismissed, with the statement that they are simply soldiers, prepared, without question, to do what they are ordered; whether it be to make roads or to shoot Maoris. And I am very well assured that they would do either equally cheerfully and equally effectively. Should any one be so silly as to lay charges of the kind indicated—that is to say, implying impolitic conduct of affairs against the Constabulary, their answer, complete in itself, would be that they obeyed orders. The responsibility lie 3 .with those who gave the orders. .The Government, I am in a position to state,'was wisely advised that Te Whiti's mana might lje tested as oompletely by running a telegraph wire through his territory as by making an enor*

mously expensive road. That—the man a— destroyed, the rest would have followed 1 in .'the natural course of events; and "the native difficulty on the Wi-st Coast" would have become a local matter of comparative insignificance in place _of developing into national importance. Flying columns from either enl of the disturbed district could have put through a lioe of telegraph in the course of a few weeks, and the most important factor in the whole affair Te Whiti's mana—would have been disposed of. The remainder would have followed at leisure, and at the market price. 1 am here, of course, assuming what the Government assume—viz., that destroy Te "Whiti's influence, and what follows is child s Play ' POLITICAL.

This brings me to the point which may appear to trench upon editorial functions. I would simply Bay, by way of explanation and excuse, that no one—whether journalist or politician —could p Bsibly have detected the little game unless he had, as I have, lived on the spot for months, and carefully watched the progress of events. The Native and Defence Departments have been Bnbordinated to tho Public Works Department, and the Public Works Department has been subordinated to Taranaki. Should it happen that I am challenged to go into matters of detail, I am quite prepared to do so ; but, in the meant me, it is sufficient to generalise. Officers of the Public Works Department, all Taranaki men—one of ■whom, a district engineer, by the way, published in the Palea Mail some ridiculous letters directed against your correspondent " in the name of the people of Hawera"— controlled the direction, the rate of progress, and, in fact, every tiling connected with the road. The movements of Colonel Roberts, commanding the district, proclaimed under martial law, were controlled by officers of the Public Works Department, residents in Taranaki, liable to Taranaki prejudices, if not absolutely and notoriously subject to Taranaki influences. What I have written relative to the subordination of the Native and the Defence Departments to the Public Works Department is capable of absolute proof. Should it be argued that such subordination was right and proper, and in the public interest, I will simply ask why, if such were the case, two or three days ago tho relative positions of the departments as regards matters on the Plains were reversedj and the whole direction of affiira was placed in the hands of Colonel Roberts? —and 1 will point to Colonel Roberts's first act, the abandoning of the cjnstruction in the way hitherto pursued of a road so far practically and strategically useless, bnt which was the means of throwine in the way of Taranaki (by the grace of the Public Works Department) tens of thousands of pounds, which ought to have been more profitably expended. The longer that Taranaki can delay the settlement of the West Coast native difficulty, the more will it benefit by the enormous national expenditure entailed thereby. X said at the outset that, in justice to Mr. Bryce, the wire-pulling of the Public Works Department in this matter should be explained. Of course I cannot pretend to say how it is that the orovincial district whose interests are so well" represented by the hon. and gallant Major Atkinson should so long have had the pull in the Cabinet. But lam drifting into politics.

HIGH-CLASS WORK. A word as to the manner in which the new road h*s been constructed. It may at once be said that as a piece of work there is perhaps nothing of the kind to equal it in the colony. For 50 daj s 255 men of the Armed Constabulary have been engaged doing the rougher part of the work, while the unemployed (Public Works Contingent) have followed up, at a respectful distance, doing what is popularly known in camp under the various terms of "sand-papering," "tittivating,"and"spokeshaving." Theworkhasbeen carried out under the supervision alternately of Captain Newall and Captain Gordon, gentlemen who not only have what in America is known as a "war-record," but also possess special qualifications. Captain Newall wears a gold watch presented to him by the New Zealand Government in recognition of a military report upon the Waikato district displaying minute and exact topographical knowledge and thorough acquaintance with the principles of surveying ; and Captain Gordon is an ex-Imperial officer who quitted Sandhurst with a high reputation. And yet this elaborate, "sand-papered road," commencing nowhere and ending in a swamp, is jnst now of abont as much practical use as the Tay Bridge with that ugly piece out of the middle of it. I do not wish it to be inferred when 1 use the terms "sand-papering," &c., that the Public "Works Contingent have been "pottering." On the contrary, they have been doing their work creditably and energetically, under the superintendence of Mr. Decimus Atkinson, a brother of the member for Mount Egmont. Bat cui bono ? THE COST. The data upon which I base my estimate that the native difficulty is costing the country about £600 per diem, are as follow (roughly of course) : —SOO Armed Constabulary, from constable to Defence Minister, averaging 10s per day each, £400; ISO unemployed, averaging 3s 6d each, £31 10s. Add to this sum contracts for transport; salaries to that nondescript crew known under the general term of "Native Agents contingencies, &c., &c., I take it £600 per diem is under the mark. If you also add to.this the loss of the productive labour of upwards of a thousand piaked men, and the depreciation of New Zealand Stock in the money market, and who will say what the noble Maori costs the country 1

THE HOUSE BUILDING. I have no remark to offer upon the action of Titokowaru's people in crossing the road on to land that, according to the interim report of the .Royal Commissioners, was not to be reserved for them. The first intimation we at this end of the district had of tlie matter was through influential Maoris asking, in a peculiarly meaning way, " Hare you heard the news from Kapuni 1" Then followed a semi-official telegram, on hearing of tie receipt of which, I telegraphed to Mr. J. E. Dalton, of Normanby, to proceed at once to the spot and wire particulars. It would have been impossible for me to reach Kapuni from Werekino in time to telegraph to you the same day. In the course of the evening I received the following telegram from Mr. Dalton—"Just returned. Titokowaru at Okiawa. Ngatitu encroached on fenced land seaward of road Kapnni. Erection whare by Tohu's instructions. Manaia sanctions inside of fence; Patu Kopu objects. Sent fully paper." I judge from the concluding three words of this telegram that your readers know more of the matter than I, and will only add that this more confirms my opinion relative to the Royal Commissioners' cock-and-bull story of Titokowaru's submission, my idea that Tohu's influence was superseding Te Whiti's, and my general view o£ the attitude and intentions of the natives. I do not know what Mr. Dalton ha 3 telegraphed to you; but it is right I should say that upon the many occasions upon which I have relied upon him for information I have found his reports thoroughly trustworthy. In commencing this letter, I intimated that it might be amongst the last that I shall address to you from the Waimate Plains. My reason'for saying bo is that if this West Coaat difficulty is to be manipulated into a political job for the purpose of perpetuating

indefinitely the expenditure of an enormous sum of money in TaraoaUi, I Bhall very quickly tire' of recording, and your readers will as quickly tire of reading sham move-m-nta and mock energy; and if, on the other hand, the difficulty is honestly tackled, it will be so soon settled that my ocoupation will be gone.